Matching: Match the Hominid Species with the Associated Physical Trait Andachievement

Name:

How do scientists learn about earlyhumans?
People can learn about the past by using written records. But these records cover only the last 5,000 years or so of human life. To learn about the time before written records, scientists calledarchaeologists use special skills andtools.
Archaeologists work at places called digs. They uncover artifacts: tools, jewelry, or other things made by people. Archaeologists also dig up bones—the bones of ancient humans and of the animals that lived with them. Some of these bones have become fossils, meaning they have survived over time because they were preserved in stone. By studying bones and artifacts, scientists learn about the culture, or way of life, of earlyhumans.
In the early 1970s, archaeologistsin East Africa found the footprints of humanlike beings,called
Australopithecus. Humans and other creatures thatwalk
upright, such as Australopithecus, are calledhominids.
These footprints were made about 3.5 million yearsago.
Because these early beings walked upright, they could travel long distances more easily than four-footedones.
They could alsouse their free arms to carry food, tools, andchildren.
They also had an opposable thumb that could move across the palms of their hands and touch their other fingers. The opposable thumb allowed them to pick up and holdobjects. / Vocabulary – use the text to define the followingterms:
Artifact:
Culture:
Hominids:
Q: What were the first humanlike beings, and where were theyfound?

Who were the Neanderthals andCro-Magnons?
Many scientists believe that Homo erectus eventually developed into humans, or Homosapiens.
Scientists once thought that Neanderthals were ancestors of modern humans but no longer do. These hominids appeared 200,000 years ago. They lived in caves or built shelters of wood or animal skins. At one time, they were thought to be rough and wild people. Now scientists think that they may have held religious beliefs. These people found ways to survive the freezing cold of the Ice Age. About 30,000 years ago, though, the Neanderthals strangelydisappeared.
About 10,000 years before these people vanished, the Cro- Magnons appeared. Their bodies were just like those of modern people. Scientists think that these people worked with one another in planning large-scale hunts of animals. They may have also had more skill at speaking than did the Neanderthals. Because they had these skills, the Cro- Magnons were better at finding food. That may explain why Cro-Magnons survived and Neanderthals didnot.
Scientists are continuing to work on many sites inAfrica. New discoveries continually add to what we know about humanorigins. / Vocabulary
Homosapiens:
Q: How is the species Homo sapiens different fromearlier hominids?

Matching: match the hominid species with the associated physical trait andachievement

Name:Answer Key_

How do scientists learn about earlyhumans?
People can learn about the past by using written records. But these records cover only the last 5,000 years or so of human life. To learn about the time before written records, scientists calledarchaeologists use special skills andtools.
Archaeologists work at places called digs. They uncover artifacts: tools, jewelry, or other things made by people. Archaeologists also dig up bones—the bones of ancient humans and of the animals that lived with them. Some of these bones have become fossils, meaning they have survived over time because they were preserved in stone. By studying bones and artifacts, scientists learn about the culture, or way of life, of earlyhumans.
In the early 1970s, archaeologistsin East Africa found the footprints of humanlike beings,called
Australopithecus. Humans and other creatures thatwalk
upright, such as Australopithecus, are calledhominids.
These footprints were made about 3.5 million yearsago.
Because these early beings walked upright, they could travel long distances more easily than four-footedones.
They could alsouse their free arms to carry food, tools, andchildren.
They also had an opposable thumb that could move across the palms of their hands and touch their other fingers. The opposable thumb allowed them to pick up and holdobjects. / Vocabulary – use the text to definethe followingterms:
Artifact:
Artifacts are man-made objects like tools or jewelry that archaeologists study to learn about ancient civilizations.
Culture:
Culture describes the way of life for a group of people – what they do, eat, and what they are like. This can be studied by looking at artifactsand fossils.
Hominids:
Hominids are humans and other creatures that walk upright, such as australopithecines.
Q: What were the first humanlike beings, and where were theyfound?
The 1st human-like beings were called australopithecines about 3.5 million years ago. They were discovered in EastAfrica.

What advances did hominids make during the StoneAge?
Humans made important advances during a period called the Stone Age, when people used tools made of stone. At this time, they also began to use fire and learned tospeak.
Scientists divide the Stone Age into two parts. The Paleolithic Age, or Old Stone Age, began about 2.5 million years ago and lasted until about 8000 B.C. The Neolithic Age, or New Stone Age, went from about 8000 B.C. to around 3000B.C.
Much of the Old Stone Age overlapped the IceAge, when the earth was colder than it is now. Huge sheets of ice—glaciers— covered much of the land. About 10,000 years ago, the earth’s temperature increased. The ice sheets grew smaller. People began to roam wider stretches ofland.
In East Africa, archaeologists found a hominid fossil they named Homo habilis. It means “man of skill.” The fossil was given this name because the site also held tools made of lava rock. Homo habilis lived about 2.5 million years ago. About 1.6 million years ago, another kind of hominid lived. This one was Homo erectus. Homo erectus began to use tools for special purposes. That is when technologybegan.
Homo erectus dug for food in the ground, cut meat from animal bones, andscraped animalskins.
Homoerectus also used fire andmay
have had spoken language. / Vocabulary
PaleolithicAge:
This is the Old Stone Age and began about 2.5 million years ago and lasted until 8,000 BC. This period saw the Ice Age when glaciers covered most ofEarth.
NeolithicAge:
This is the New Stone Age and went from 8,000 BC to around 3,000 BC. Temperatures increased during this period and early humans began to spread out.
Technology:
Technology refers to innovations people make that make life easier. It can range from simple tools to more complex objects.
Q: Who were Homo habilis and Homo erectus?
Both were early human-like beings. Homo habilis means “man of skill” and lived about 2.5 million years ago.About
1.6 million years ago, Homo erectus appeared and began to use tools for special purposes. Homo erectus also used fire and may have had spokenlanguage.
Timeline: Fill in the timeline with the 3 correctdates
2.5 MillionYearsAgo8,000YearsAgo3,000 YearsAgo
├───────────────────────────────────────┼──────────────┤ PaleolithicAgebegins Paleolithic Ageends
NeolithicAgebeginsNeolithic Ageends
Who were the Neanderthals andCro-Magnons?
Many scientists believe that Homo erectus eventually developed into humans, or Homosapiens.
Scientists once thought that Neanderthals were ancestors of modern humans but no longer do. These hominids appeared 200,000 years ago. They lived in caves or built shelters of wood or animal skins. At one time, they were thought to be rough and wild people. Now scientists think that they may have held religious beliefs. These people found ways to survive the freezing cold of the Ice Age. About 30,000 years ago, though, the Neanderthals strangelydisappeared.
About 10,000 years before these people vanished, the Cro- Magnons appeared. Their bodies were just like those of modern people. Scientists think that these people worked with one another in planning large-scale hunts of animals. They may have also had more skill at speaking than did the Neanderthals. Because they had these skills, the Cro- Magnons were better at finding food. That may explain why Cro-Magnons survived and Neanderthals didnot.
Scientists are continuing to work on many sites inAfrica. New discoveries continually add to what we know about humanorigins. / Vocabulary
Homosapiens:
Homo sapiens is the scientific name for modern humanbeings.
Q: How is the species Homo sapiens different fromearlier hominids?
Homo sapiens were different from earlier hominids because they built shelters that weremore complex, held religious beliefs, worked with one-another, and had more skill inspeaking.

Matching: match the hominid species with the associated physical trait andachievement